The Story of My Life by Sri. Vethathiri Maharishi CHAPTER 19 A Convert

My reflections on the new kind of life I began to lead, I summed up in a set of verses, which follow further down.

My responsibilities to my family became heavy after my second marriage. I had to read the minds of both my life partners well before doing anything. Neither of them should feel neglected. If such an impression ever gained strength, it would be difficult to rectify it later. So I was extra careful in whatever I did.

It is an axiom that all lives have their source in God. But I give priority in my mind to the truth that all life proceeds from the womenkind. Hence it is that I look upon women with the utmost regard.

In my work entitled “World peace” I have written thus:

Quite sensible have I ever been of woman’s own immeasurable worth. The human race, as a whole, endowed with life on earth. Happens to be her unique gift, for to her we owe our birth. So, of her glory and her greatness who can measure height or girth? I picked my way carefully in managing my family so that I might never hurt the susceptibilities of either.

WAS IT A CRIME?

Ten years passed, and still we had No child to call our very own. People declared that we should be bad, And bound for hell! That made her moan.

I spoke in unbearable pain of mind, “Folly that would be forevermore and endless trouble”. “No! You’ll never find Dissension between us two,” she swore.

BONDAGE

I yielded. Could I refuse To her this favor? By my side, She stayed. I yet did choose A second partner, Whatever ills betide.

WELL – BALANCED

I conducted myself with special care To prove impartial between delayed. Oh, what of all that fuss they made? With more ingenuity, Each man is a god. How Then could she share Her god with another and avoid strife?
w then could she share and avoid strife?

THE TENTH WONDER!

Take samples of ten such families or more Where two women divide one good husband’s love. Appearances are deceptive. Probe no more. All three agree? It is not the earth, but heaven above?

WISDOM AND PATIENCE

Self-knowledge did I fully gain Within a few days of this event. That glare Of lightning flashed. Both pleasure and pain, I learned, now I could with patience bear.

From words sometimes one may come to blows! Advice to marry two, therefore, no man should need. The day after I had finished writing these verses, a friend paid us a visit. He belonged to Panaimalaipettai that adjoins Anantapuram. His name was Mr. Dandapani Chettiar. He wanted to speak to me when supper was over. I said to him,”Go through these verses first. We can have a talk later”, and gave him the verses. He was one of those who studied my writings with attention and relished their content. Every time he visited me, he invariably read my verses, discussed them with me and got whatever elucidation he needed. In the same old manner, I gave him what I had written under the caption: “A Bigamist”. He read the verses and appeared lost in reverie. He seemed to have made up his mind about something. Replacing the sheets in my hands, he said, “This would serve to set right the lives of many people”. He then talked with me about things in general and retired for the night. When I got up the next morning and looked for him, I found he had returned to his village. His departure had been rather abrupt. A total of sixty looms were busy supplying us cloth, at Panaimalaipettai and the villages round about it; and he used to get yarn and the requisite cash when he went back.I was surprised by his sudden exit this time.